McNeill left the Lions' training camp practice early with a neck injury Friday, Kory Woods of MLive.com reports.
It's not clear exactly what happened, and there's no timetable for McNeill's return to practice at this point. As long as he remains unavailable, Levi Onwuzurike will be a candidate to take the leftover reps with the first-team defensive line.
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Lions' Alim McNeill: Ready for training camp
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McNeill (abdomen) passed his conditioning test and is participating in training camp, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.
McNeill ended the 2025 season with an abdominal issue that caused him to miss the final game of the regular season. The starting defensive tackle missed the first six games of the campaign while he finished his recovery from a December 2024 ACL tear. If the 26-year-old can maintain his current health throughout the 2026 season, the Lions' defensive line should be able to generate more consistent interior pressure.
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Lions' Alim McNeill: Ruled out for Sunday
Rotowire
McNeill (abdomen) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's game against the Bears.
McNeill was unable to practice at all this week due to the abdominal injury he sustained in the Christmas Day loss to the Vikings. Tyleik Williams and Roy Lopez are likely in line for an increased snap share on the defensive line in the starting defensive tackle's absence. McNeill will end his 2025 campaign with 14 tackles (five solo), including 1.0 sacks, and one pass defensed over 10 games.
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Lions' Alim McNeill: Held out of practice Wednesday
Rotowire
McNeill (abdomen) was unable to practice Wednesday.
McNeill suffered an injury to his abdomen on Christmas Day against Minnesota. A DNP to begin Week 18 prep puts his status for Sunday's matchup against Chicago in question. If McNeill can't play Week 18, Tyleik Williams and/or Roy Lopez would figure to be in line for more defensive snaps.
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Lions' Alim McNeill: Cleared to play Christmas Day
Rotowire
McNeill (abdomen) is active for Thursday's game against the Vikings.
McNeill was limited in practice this week due to an abdominal injury, but the fifth-year pro has been cleared to play Thursday. He has accumulated 14 tackles (five solo), including 1.0 sacks, one pass defense and one forced fumble through nine regular-season games.
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Lions' Alim McNeill: Questionable to face Minnesota
Rotowire
McNeill (abdomen) is listed as questionable for Thursday's game against the Vikings.
McNeill was limited in all three walkthrough practices due to an abdominal injury, and his status for Christmas Day will be official approximately 90 minutes prior to the 4:30 p.m. ET kickoff, when Detroit announces its list of inactive players. Roy Lopez and Tyleik Williams would be in line for more snaps at defensive tackle alongside DJ Reader if McNeill is unable to play.
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Lions' Alim McNeill: Working through abdominal injury
Rotowire
McNeill (abdomen) was a limited participant in Monday's walkthrough practice.
McNeill played 56 of 74 defensive snaps (76.7 percent) and logged two tackles (one solo) during the Lions' 29-24 loss to the Steelers on Sunday. He appears to have come out of that game with an injury, though his ability to practice in a limited capacity Monday indicates that the issue isn't considered serious. McNeill will have two more chances to increase his practice participation heading into the Lions' Christmas Day tilt against the Vikings on Thursday.
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Lions' Alim McNeill: Gets questionable tag
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McNeill (knee) is listed as questionable ahead of Monday's game against the Buccaneers, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official sitereports.
McNeill has been sidelined for the entire 2025 season as he recovers from a torn ACL. Coach Dan Campbell indicated that McNeill will be available for his season debut in Week 7, though his status won't become official until shortly before kickoff Monday night.
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Lions' Alim McNeill: Won't return for Week 6
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McNeill (knee) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Chiefs, Justin Rogers of DetroitFootball.net reports.
McNeill was a full participant in all three practices for the Lions' Week 6 prep, showing good progress in his recovery from a torn ACL in his right knee that he suffered in December. He hasn't been cleared to return quite yet, but the Lions are targeting Week 7 against the Buccaneers on Monday, Oct. 20 as McNeill's 2025 debut, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
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Lions' Alim McNeill: Logs full practice Wednesday
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McNeill (knee) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice.
McNeill had his 21-day window to be reinstated from the reserve/PUP list opened Oct. 1, but he was not cleared to play against the Bengals in Week 5. He's opened the week with a full practice, and if he can participate without restriction each of the next two days, he would put himself in a good position to make his 2025 debut against the Chiefs on Sunday. The 2021 third-rounder is in the final stages of his recovery from a torn ACL in his right knee that he suffered in December.
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Lions' Alim McNeill: Chance to play Week 5
Rotowire
McNeill (knee) was a limited participant in Friday's practice and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Bengals.
McNeill practiced in a limited capacity all week, and head coach Dan Campbell told reporters Friday that McNeill has a "50/50 chance" of playing Sunday, per Colton Pouncy of The Athletic. If McNeill isn't cleared to return from the reserve/PUP list Sunday, the fifth-year defensive tackle would still be in a good spot to make his 2025 regular-season debut in Week 6 against the Chiefs on Sunday, Oct. 12. McNeill finished the 2024 regular season with 25 tackles (17 solo), including 3.5 sacks, one pass defense and one forced fumble across 14 games.
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Lions' Alim McNeill: Officially limited Wednesday
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McNeill (knee) was a limited participant at Wednesday's practice.
The Lions officially opened McNeill's 21-day practice window Wednesday, and it's no surprise for him to be limited in his first on-field activity since suffering a right ACL tear Week 15 of the 2024 season. Once fully healthy, McNeill is expected to join DJ Reader as a starter along the interior of Detroit's offensive line. It's unclear whether he could have a chance to be activated to the 53-man roster in time to play Sunday versus Cincinnati.
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Lions' Alim McNeill: Designated to return
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McNeill (knee) was designated to return from the reserve/PUP list Wednesday, Justin Rogers of DetroitFootball.net reports.
McNeill tore his ACL in Week 15 of last year and has missed the Lions' first four games this season. He now has 21 days to be added to Detroit's active roster before reverting to the reserve/PUP list. The NC State product is an integral part of the Lions' run defense, tallying 25 total tackles, including 3.5 sacks, and one forced fumble over 14 regular-season games in 2024. Once healthy, he's expected to start alongside DJ Reader on Detroit's defensive line.
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Lions' Alim McNeill: Begins year on PUP list
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McNeill (knee) was placed on the reserve/PUP list Tuesday.
McNeill tore his ACL in Week 15 last season and is expected to be out at least the first two months of the season. His absence opens the door for rookie first-round pick Tyleik Williams to immediately start at defensive tackle next to DJ Reader, while Roy Lopez and Mekhi Wingo will also get extra tread. McNeill signed a four-year, $97 million contract in October of 2024, and he posted 25 tackles and 3.5 sacks through 14 games prior to his injury.
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Lions' Alim McNeill: Likely to miss first few months
Rotowire
McNeill (knee) is expected to miss the first few months of the regular season, Colton Pouncy of The Athletic reports.
McNeill tore his ACL in December and was placed on the active/PUP list Thursday. With McNeill's absence expected to stretch well into the regular season and Levi Onwuzurike (knee) already ruled out for the entire 2025 campaign, the Lions will be shorthanded on the interior of the defensive line.
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Lions' Alim McNeill: Added to active/PUP list
Rotowire
McNeill (knee) was placed on the active/PUP list Thursday.
McNeill is eligible to return to practice at some point during training camp, though he's not ready to do so yet as he recovers from a torn ACL suffered in December. He's the favorite to start at defensive tackle once healthy.
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Lions' Alim McNeill: Injury believed to be serious
Rotowire
Speaking after Sunday's loss to the Bills, coach Dan Campbell said he doesn't feel good about the chances of McNeill (knee) playing again this season, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.
It's yet another potentially serious injury for the Detroit defense, as McNeill was injured in the third quarter Sunday and ruled out for the remainder of the game shortly after. Levi Onwuzurike is next up for snaps on the interior of the Lions' defensive line, a unit that has already lost seven players to injured reserve. Detroit's offense may have to turn things up a couple notches the rest of the way in order to make up for all of the injuries on the defensive side of the ball.
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Lions' Alim McNeill: Clears protocol
Rotowire
McNeill (concussion) has no injury designation ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Bills.
McNeill practiced in full all week after sustaining a concussion in the Lions' Week 14 win over the Packers, and his omission from Friday's injury report indicates he has cleared the NFL's five-step protocol. With McNeill and DJ Reader both at full health, they're expected to cause problems for the Bills' interior run game in Week 15.
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Lions' Alim McNeill: Records full practice Wednesday
Rotowire
McNeill (concussion) was a full practice participant Wednesday.
McNeill left last Thursday's win over the Packers early due to a concussion, but the extended time off between that game and the start of this week's practice schedule appears to have given him ample time to recover. Nonetheless, McNeill will need to clear the NFL's concussion protocol in order to suit up Sunday against the Bills.
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Lions' Alim McNeill: Done for rest of Thursday night
Rotowire
McNeill (head) has been ruled out for the rest of Thursday's contest versus the Packers, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
McNeill returned to the game in the first half after suffering a head injury early in the contest, but he was ruled out following halftime. In his absence, Brodric Martin and Myles Adams will handle the majority of the work at defensive tackle.
